Ahlul Bayt have been delineated in the Quran (Surah 33,
Ayah 33) and purified by Allah (Most High) from sin, religious error, or forgetfulness (Ismah). Ahlul Bayt consist of Muhammad (pbuh), his daughter Fatima,
his son-in-law and cousin Ali, and his two grandchildren Al-Hasan and Al-Husain. And of the progeny of Al-Husain are the nine designated Imams:
Zainul Abideen, Al-Baaqir, Al-Saadiq, Al-Kadhim, Al-Ridha, Al-Taqi, Al-Haadi, Al-Askari, and Al-Mahdi —may peace be with them all.

None of the Sahaaba had ever received the
recognition or was ever referred to in the Quran as much as Ahlul Bayt were, in particular Ali. To delve in the Quran in search of the referrals to Ahlul Bayt, the
researcher finds three different types; some are specific by designation, others are specific by alluding, yet others are non‑specific but understood (hints). Thus the
referrals can roughly be categorized in the following fashion:

This
chapter is the first in the series referring to Ahlul Bayt. Subsequent chapters will deal with referrals to Ahlul Bayt in, a) the Hadith, b) Nahjul Balaaghah, c) by
Ahlul Bayt themselves, and d) by the scholars in Islam.

“Verily, Allah has decreed to purify you, O' Ahlul Bayt, and sanctify you in a perfect way”

According to
A'isha, Ayah of Tat'heer (Purification) was revealed on behalf of Fatima, Ali, Al‑Hasan, and Al‑Husain.[1]

The Occasion:

The
term Ahlul Bayt was endearingly used by the Prophet (pbuh) when he was in his wife's house, Umm Salama. While busy with her chores, Umm‑Salama heard the Prophet say,
“Bring them to me, bring them to me.” He wanted to immediately see Fatima, Ali and their two sons, Al‑Hasan and Al‑Husain.

Muhammad (pbuh) asked Al‑Hasan, Al‑Husain, and their mother Fatima to partially cover themselves with his mantle, then he asked Ali to do likewise. He thereupon did
the same. The mantle became a uniting cover shared by all five, partly covering every one of them, thus becoming a visible uniting bond, binding all five.

Then
the Prophet raised his hands in supplication before the inquisitive audience, and said:

“Dear Lord! this is my Ahlul Bayt, I implore Thee to sanctifying them, and remove from them all impurities.”

Then
Muhammad (pbuh) explained that Jubra'eel (Gabriel) had just revealed to him a unique Ayah, an Ayah in which Allah had decreed to specifically purify and sanctify
them, calling them Ahlul Bayt. Umm‑Salama then asked, “How about me? Can I come under the mantle?” Muhammad (pbuh) replied, “No, you stay where you are, worry
not, you are in a fine state.”

The
five (Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Al‑Hasan, and Al‑Husain) came to be endearingly known as “The five under the mantle” خمسه تحت الكساء . It is narrated through Anas Ibn Malik that for six months
following this Ayah's revelation, every morning (while going for fajr salat), the Prophet used to knock at the door of Fatima's house and loudly recite Ayah of
Tat'heer. Other sources say the Prophet (pbuh) did so for 9 months rather than 6.[2]

Some
commentators claim that this Ayah was revealed at A'isha's house, others claim it was revealed at Fatima's house (as narrated by the renowned Sahaabi Jabir
Al‑Ansaari). Yet others claim that this Ayah was apparently revealed more than once, i.e., once in Umm Salama's house, once in A'isha's house, and once in Fatima's
house.

Meaning of Ayah of Tat'heer

When
Ayah of Tat'heer was revealed Muhammad (pbuh) was informed by Jubra'eel about who constituted Ahlul Bayt; they were to be the Prophet himself, Fatima, Ali,
Al‑Hasan, and Al‑Husain. At this time Al‑Hasan and Al‑Husain were young children and their future‑contribution to Islam was known only to Allah. Allah knew the
pivotal roll Ali, Fatima, Al‑Hasan, and Al‑Husain would play for Islam, thus He specified them for this honor.

Neither
Zainab, nor Umm Kulthoom, the daughters of Ali, were included, nor were any of the wives of the Prophet, (neither Umm Salama, nor A'isha, or others).

The
Ayah indicates that Allah Himself has honored Ahlul Bayt so specifically, and He promised to keep them “pure, spotless, and sanctified”. Allah had taken it upon
Himself to safeguard Ahlul Bayt, to keep them unblemished, untainted, upright, virtuous, and chaste. This is the source and basis of the Ismah [meaning Allah
has safeguarded them from: a) sin, b) religious error, and c) forgetfulness.]

As
events unfolded through the ensuing 329 years (following the Hijrah), the contributions Ahlul Bayt made to Islam has, without doubt, verified the very essence of this
Ayah and confirmed what Allah promised. Ahlul Bayt sacrificed everything at hand for the sake of teaching Islam in its pristine form. They jeopardized, if not
sacrificed their own lives and even the lives of their children for the purpose! Ahlul Bayt stood for the righteous and the upright, and for the ideals of Islam, and
because of that they suffered dearly at the hands of tyrants and detractors.

Verily, verily, Allah is your Wali (Overlord), and so is His Messenger, and those who believe and establish prayer, and give the
poor‑rate while in State of Rukoo' [state of bowing down].

Commentators unanimously hold that this verse refers to Ali when he gave his ring to a beggar while bowing in Rukoo' (in the course of his prayer).[3]

The Occasion:

Abu
Dhar Al‑Ghifari, a highly regarded Sahaabi, was quoted to have said that he heard the Holy Prophet saying, “Ali is the beacon of the righteous and the destroyer of the
infidels. He who helps him is victorious and he who abandons him is vanquished.” Abu Dhar continued, “One day while I was saying my prayers in the company of the
Prophet, a beggar came to the Masjid asking for alms, but nobody gave him anything. Ali, while in a state of Rukoo' in the prayer, pointed out his ring‑finger
to the beggar. The beggar approached Ali and removed the ring from his finger.

At this
occasion, the Holy Prophet prayed to Allah to delight his heart and make his task less arduous by appointing from among his kinsmen, Ali, as his Wazir (representative
and helper). This was to reinforce and strengthen his endeavor, just as Allah has done so with Prophet Musa by appointing Haroon to strengthen him. Abu Dhar
continued, “By Allah, the Prophet had not yet finished his supplication when the trustworthy Jibreel descended to him with the verse saying: Verily, verily, Allah is
your Wali (Overlord), and so is His Messenger, and those who believe and establish prayer, and give the poor‑rate while in state of Rukoo' [state of bowing
down].[4]

Commentary:

In this
Ayah the word Wali means the one vested with authority over others (the Master). Allah is the One with absolute authority (the Overlord), so we must obey Him.
In addition the Prophet (pbuh) is to be obeyed too, for he was assigned with absolute authority in this Ayah. Then Ali is to be obeyed too, for he also was assigned
with authority, because he was the only charitable person during Rukoo' that the Quran had thus specified. (Al‑Tha'labi in Tafseer al‑Kabir).

At
other occasions the same term was used by the Prophet (pbuh) in reference to Ali. As one example, the Prophet declared, “After me, O' Ali! You are the Wali (of
supreme authority) over all faithful”.[5]

Zamakh'shari, (Tafseer Al‑Kash'shaf), says, “If you inquire how this plural word is appli­cable to Ali, I shall say that though this verse is about Ali —an individual—
the plural form is used in order to persuade others to act similarly and give alms as readily as Ali did.”

The
Imams among Ahlul Bayt have frequently referred to this verse as a testimony of their rightful Imamah and have assigned the same meaning to the word Wali
as appears above.

In
response to the Prophet's message calling on Christians to Islam, (in the 9th year of Hijrah), a deputation consisting of a Patriarch with 20 Christian
dignitaries, from a place 1200 miles south, set out as a fact‑finding mission about Islam. Once in Medina they met with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), and as expected, most
of their questions were about the Messiah Jesus (a.s.), his birth, his mother, and whether he was crucified or resurrected. The answers of the Prophet were directly
from the Holy Quran.

The
Christians were baffled and amazed, even bewildered. They were impressed with the sincerity of the Prophet and his answers; and his fine qualities gained their trust.

Since
an Ayah for Mubaahala,
i.e., a challenge with a Du'aa, had been revealed to the Prophet (pbuh), he suggested doing so in case they did not believe him. A Mubaahala is a spiritual contest, it
means that each of the two groups would pray to the Almighty asking for His damnation on those who are false (telling lies). If Mubaahala were done, and Prophet
Muhammad was saying the truth, then Allah would doom the Christian group and whatever Allah chooses to do to them would come to be! The Patriarch agreed to the
Mubaahala, and it was to be done at a certain place and time.

A large
crowd gathered for the occasion on the specified day. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) with the 6 year old Al‑Hasan and the 5 year old Al‑Husain, each holding one of his hands,
and Ali and his wife Fatima following, proceeded to the place for Mubaahala. These four were the dearest and closest to the heart of the Prophet (pbuh). No,
the Prophet (pbuh) did not choose a wife of his, an aunt, an uncle, a Sahaabi or anyone else, instead he chose Ahlul Bayt. Muhammad (pbuh) took them because they
represented to him the very essence, the very ones, the highest in honor.

▪ The Ayah said:Our children —and Muhammad took Al‑Hasan and Al‑Husain;

▪ The Ayah said:Our ladies —and Muhammad took his daughter Fatima;

▪ The Ayah said:Our selves —and Muhammad took Ali as if Ali was the self of the Prophet.

Upon
seeing this group the Patriarch became startled, even frightened! Taken aback he hurriedly consulted with his group. It became unquestionably obvious that Muhammad was
saying only the truth, otherwise he would have brought other than the closest people to him. Thus, they reasoned that for Muhammad to call upon Allah for a curse would
certainly bring the damnation and ruin on these Christians. They knew Allah would respond to a Prophet, and by conducting the Mubaahala their lot would be ruin!

Having
thus debated the matter, the Patriarch came forth with a look of relief. He acknowledged to Muhammad and opted for immediate withdrawal from the Mubaahala! The
Patriarch also said: “If it weren't for my obligations with the Emperor I would have right away changed to Islam!”

The Term Ourselves in Mubaahala

For the
Mubaahala the Holy Quran asked Muhammad (pbuh) to bring forth persons (in the plural) who would be the replica of himself. The Prophet (pbuh) chose Ali (a.s.), since
no one else would do, Ali was the replica, the mirror image, the very one! This implies that Ali had the identity in reflection of thought, spirituality, action, and
motivations to such an extent that at any time one would represent the other.

Ali
then is the replica of the self of the Prophet (pbuh), the true representation of him. Ali was in the Prophet’s eyes: the figurative brother, supporter,
deputy and defender. Ali's idealism, thinking, and spiritual make‑up were a mirror image to those of the Prophet (pbuh).

Many
Muslim scholars, commentators and Traditionists whom the Ummah acclaims with one voice, have given the details of this event with following conclusions:

▪ The seriousness of the occasion demanded absolute purity, physical as well as spiritual, to take part in the fateful
event.

▪ Only the best of Allah's creations [Ahlul Bayt] were selected by the Holy Prophet under Allah's guidance.

▪ It, beyond all doubts, established the purity, the truthfulness, and the sublime position of the Ahlul Bayt.

▪
It also unquestionably confirmed as to who were the members of the family of the Holy Prophet.[6]

O' Men of faith! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority over you [from] among you; and then if you
quarrel about something, refer it to Allah and the Messenger.....

Commentary

Among
the many Ayahs in reference to Ali, this Ayah grabs the attention. This Ayah necessitates our obedience to Allah, the Prophet, and those vested with authority over us,
meaning Ali as the Wali, the one in charge of us, the one with the authority over us. We are ordered to obey the Wali, since
he should be the knowledgeable in one’s Divine knowledge, who leads us in the true path, (as do the rest of the Imams). This is attested to by many Hadiths,
outstanding among them is when the Prophet had declared, “I am the locality of knowledge and Ali is its gateway”. Therefore, for the faithful to have an inmost
understanding of pristine Islam, they can refer to Ali and his Ahlul Bayt, who alone know of the Divine knowledge.

Surah 16
(Nah'l), Ayah 43 commands us to seek answers from the knowledgeable in the Quran.

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ

فَاسْأَلُواْ أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

And before Thy time [O' Muhammad], We have sent men to whom We have revealed; —[O people] refer to the Folk of Dhik'r when you
do not know.

Commentary

Al‑Dhik'r refers to the Holy Quran itself; and it is also one of the names of the Holy Prophet. Since they are the seas of knowledge in Islam, Ahlul Bayt are regarded
as the Ahlul Dhik'r, as Imam Al‑Saadiq and others have affirmed.[7]

[Dhik'rألـذكــر ] literally means to call
back to memory, or in other words to have something in the conscious mind]. Dhik'r has been used figuratively for a stimulus which brings an object into the focus of
conscious­ness. To be conscious of Allah, the Quran, the other scriptures, and the Holy Prophet have been described as Dhik’r.

Dhik'r
means to be perpetually conscious of Allah, and Ahl refers to the persons always conscious of Allah. Therefore, Ahlul Dhik'r refers to the few who are constantly in
consciousness of the Divine, whose characters are immaculate, who have been purified by the Almighty Himself, i.e., Ahlul Bayt.

The
Quran also attests that Ahlul Bayt are the folk of the Quran; who should be referred to when men are after the Quran's meaning and interpretation. Ahlul Bayt know the
inmost meaning of the Quran as no one else. The Quran attests to them as the ones with deep and encyclopedic knowledge.

The
Divine mercy guides the sincere seekers of the truth to turn to Ahlul Dhik'r, (the Prophet and his Ahlul Bayt) for knowledge of the Divine. It says, “Refer to
the Folk of Dhik'r when you do not know,” meaning to find answers from them.

It is Allah who sent to you [O' Muhammad] the Book [Quran], wherein are some decisive verses —they are the basis of the Book—

and others having variable meanings. Men with perversity in their hearts emphasize the unclear therein (seeking to mislead);

while none knows the Quran's hidden meaning except Allah and the erudite (firmly rooted) in knowledge; who say

We believe in it, all is from our Lord.” Nevertheless, none heeds this save those endowed with wisdom.

Commentary

The Holy Quran confirms that Ahlul Bayt are the seas of knowledge الراسـخـون في الـعـلــم who knew the inmost meaning
of the Quran as no one else. The Quran attests to them as the ones with deep and encyclopedic knowledge.

The
Quran was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh) and he knew the true meaning of every verse; which he taught to Ali. after the Prophet it was Ali who claimed that he knew
the: when, why and for whom every Ayah of the Quran was revealed.

Most of
the verses of the Quran are clear and decisive. There is no ambiguity in them. They are known as the muhkamatالـمـحـكـمـاتThey relate to the funda­mentals of the faith, such as the oneness of
Allah, the directions pertaining to the practice of the faith and the laws governing the day‑to‑day life of the faithful. They can neither be changed nor modified.
Any man of average intelligence can understand them and follow them.

The
mutashabihatالـمتـشـابـهـات are the verses which have been composed in subtle yet profound diction and style. They carry implications other than the
literal meanings, and therefore, are capable of giving different interpretations, like “The hand of Allah is above their hands” in Ayah 10 of Surah Al‑Fat'h.

How the
complex verses can be interpreted is not mentioned in this verse, nor anywhere in the Quran, but it is clearly disclosed that besides Allah only those endowed with
knowledge of the Divine, know the true meanings of the mutashabihat. The firmly rooted in knowledge (Al‑Rasikhoon fil I'lm) are the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul
Bayt, for they were guided and thoroughly purified by Allah.

Verily the Righteous [about Ahlul Bayt] shall drink from a cup tempered with Kafoor; from a well‑spring the servants of Allah
shall drink, flowing in abundance;

they fulfill their vows, and fear the Day whose evil shall spread far and wide;

And (in spite of their need), they give food to the poor, the orphans, and the captives, out of love for Allah, ....

The Occasion

It was not the month of Ramadhan but Ali and Fatima were fasting (Fast of Vowالنذر). They were at home and Fatima (a.s.) was preparing the food to break the fast.

As Ali
and Fatima sat to break their fast they heard a knock on the door. They saw a man in ragged clothes standing, his hands shaking, and his face pale. He asked if
he could be helped and fed. The man was invited in and offered the food available. The man took the food, thanked them, and then left. Both Ali and Fatima were left
with nothing to eat and little to cook for Suhoor.

Ali and
Fatima fasted the following day, and when time for breaking the fast was due, once more a knock on the door was heard. This time someone claiming to be an orphan
was asking for help. He too was offered the available food, and with thanks, he took the food then left.

On the
third day, both Ali and Fatima were once again fasting, and when time for breaking the fast was due they were weak, shaky, and dizzy for lack of nourishment, even
difficult to hold themselves steady. Once more at this time a knock was heard! This time a destitute man was in need of food. Ali and Fatima couldn't help but
again offer him their food. Thus Ali and Fatima underwent three days of fasting, hardly having anything to eat. This was done as a duty, since this was for the love
of the Almighty; they would rather help the others than themselves.

For
this occasion a remarkable Revelation [of 18 verses] was sent down to Muhammad in honor of these two, Fatima and Ali. The Revelation specified them in terms of: Out
of love for Allah, they feed the poor, the orphan, and the destitute. And the revelations continued to describe their lofty station with Allah —in the Garden of Bliss
[Paradise].[8]
It described a world tantalizing with delights and enchanting existence waiting for their arrival, for Allah has so rewarded them for their earnestness in His service,
dedication to His cause, and their intense love for Him.

O' Men of Faith! Safeguard yourselves against evil [be Muttaqi] and associates yourselves with the Truthful Ones.

Commentary

The Holy Quran commands the faithful to associate with Al‑Saadiqeenالصـادقـيـن (the Truthful Ones), which means: the Holy Prophet
and his Ahlul Bayt. The authentic books concur in reporting that this verse refers to Ahlul Bayt. [9]

Polytheism (plural deity or Ghayr‑Allah) is the worst falsehood. Ali had never worshipped (Ghayr‑Allah), he worshipped none but Allah all the way through. And only
Ali is known as the كرم الله وجهه Karramallaahu
wajhahu, the genuine truthful —and so are the Imams among the purified Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet (pbuh). No one,
therefore, except those mentioned in Ahzaab: 33 and Aali Imraan: 61, are meant to be Al‑Saadiqeen (the truthful). Thus this Ayah is explicit (though indirectly), in
that Al‑Saadiqeen are Ahlul Bayt themselves. Thus we are enjoined to associate ourselves with their cause.

Declare [O' Muhammad]: “I ask you of no recompense for my toil except the love for my kin (family).” And the one who earns
good, We shall expand it for him. Verily Allah is oft‑forgiving and appreciates good works.

Commentary

You reap as you sow, for those who believe and do good (to please Allah) are
blessed in this life and especially in the Hereafter.

To know
that Ali, Fatima, Al‑Hasan and Al‑Husain and their children are the closest kin “near relatives” of the Prophet (pbuh) is well known.[10]

This
verse commands the Muslims to love Ahlul Bayt if they want to repay the Prophet (pbuh) for his toils of Prophethood, thus the Ayah commands (and indirectly demands
from) us to follow Ahlul Bayt in word and deed:

▪ because Ahlul Bayt have been wholly purified by Allah Almighty,

▪ because Ahlul Bayt are the truthful ones (Al‑Saadiqeen),

▪ because Ahlul Bayt are the custodians of the Word of the Almighty, and

▪ because Ahlul Bayt are the ones who know the inmost interpretation of the Quran (the Guidance sent for all mankind).

History
shows that from the beginning to the end of their lives, every member of the Ahlul Bayt had presented an ideal Islamic pattern of life, not equaled by any among the
followers of the Prophet (pbuh), therefore love and devotion to them was commanded by the Quran to provide the highest form of guidance to mankind. Love implies
sincere attachment which must manifest in every thought and deed.

Imam
Al‑Saadiq once stated, “He who obeys Allah's Commands is our devotee; and he who disobeys Allah's Commands is our enemy.”

The
structure of the verse proves that the Prophet (pbuh) has been commanded to demand recompense, as an exception, not from every one, but from those believers
mentioned in Surah Furqan, Ayah 57‑‑those who take the way to their Lord. The recompense is in the interest of the believers themselves, not in any way profitable to
the Prophet (pbuh) in his personal life.

Qurba (nearness) has been used to show that not only relationship but also nearness in character and
accomplishment is taken into consideration as the important quality. So, on the basis of this verse, love of the Ahlul Bayt has become an obligatory function of the
faith, a fundamental condition for the devotion to Allah and good deeds.]

... and the blood relations are nearer to one another in the Book of Allah. Certainly Allah knows all.

Commentary

In Al‑Nusoos,
Al‑Siddooq quotes Imam Al-Husain who said when Allah sent down this Ayah —the blood relations are nearer one to another in the Book of Allah— Husain asked his
grandfather (the Prophet) for explanation. The Prophet (pbuh) answered, “Grandson, when I die, your father, Ali, who is nearest to me, has the Supreme Title over
anybody else for succeeding me. When your father passes away then your brother Al‑Hasan has the Supreme Title over others, and when Al‑Hasan passes away, you have the
Supreme Title for succeeding him.”

And the foremost in faith will be foremost [in receiving Allah's rewards]. They will be brought nearest [to Allah]: in gardens
of bliss; they are a multitude from the early people [in Islam], and a few from the later ones [in Islam].

Commentary

As the foremost in faith, the first male to embrace Islam was the 10 year old
Ali, who had never bowed to an idol. The very first to embrace Islam was a woman, the beloved wife of the Prophet (pbuh), Khadija. Therefore, Ali and Khadija were the
initial (first of) Saabiqeen. According to Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet (pbuh) stated that “He who does not recognize the Imam of his age, he leaves this world dying in
the manner of al-Jahiliya الجاهـلـيـه
(as a heretic)”.

The
well‑known commentator, Tha'labi, reports on the authority of Ibn Abbas that Ali had said: “I am the servant of Allah, the brother of the Prophet (pbuh), the
Siddique Al‑Akbar, and the noble testifier (of the Prophet). Any other who claims this title [other than I] is in falsity.” Thus, Ali is the prototype of the term
foremost al‑Saabiqeen. There are many other Saabiqeen, and in accordance to their degree they are handsomely rewarded by the Almighty, but Ali stands out, since
he was the foremost.

O you who believe! send blessings on him [Muhammad] and greet him
with the fitting salutation.

Commentary

Allah sends His blessings “salawaat”صلوات on the Prophet (pbuh), and the angels implore Allah to send His blessings on him [the Prophet]. The
believers are also commanded to invoke Allah to send His blessings on him too. The Muslims asked the Prophet (pbuh): “How are we to seek blessings on you?” The
Prophet (pbuh) answered, “Say: 'O Allah, send blessings on Muhammad and upon Aali Muhammad,” thus he included Ahlul Bayt within the Salawaat for
him.